New Ad Demands Candidates Break Silence on Global Climate Crisis

Young Florida Voters Ask Candidates: “What Will Your Administration Do to Address Our Generation’s Greatest Challenge—The Global Climate Crisis?” Dozens of Youth Vote Leaders to March in Boca Raton before Final Presidential Debate, Demanding Candidates Lay Out Comprehensive Plan on Climate At Home and Abroad

** View the Video Ad:http://www.powervote.org/tv-ad **

Energy Action Coalition launched a campaign yesterday to run a new national ad, calling on the candidates to break their silence on climate change and share their plans for dealing with the growing climate crisis. The ad features Duresny Nemorin, a 21-year-old Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) student who, like thousands of young voters across America, is looking to the candidates for leadership on climate before casting her first vote for president this November. The ad, which is being funded by contributions from Energy Action Coalition members, will run tomorrow.

In the ad, Duresny, with 200 youth vote leaders and climate activists standing behind her, asks a simple question to the presidential candidates: “What will your administration do to [...] address our generation’s greatest challenge--the global climate crisis?” The question was originally submitted to CNN’s online contest to pick questions for moderator Candy Crowley to pose to the candidates. The question finished in third place before the debate, but despite the 4,930 people who said they wanted the question to be asked, there was still no mention of climate change.

"With only one debate to go, the candidates are running out of time to address one of the most important issues to young voters—the global climate crisis," said Maura Cowley, executive director of Energy Action Coalition. "It's time the candidates put their money where their mouth is and lead on this issue. Climate change induced natural disasters and extreme weather incidents, from Florida's rising sea levels and Ohio's worsening air quality to record draughts and extreme temperatures across the US, show just how much is at stake, particularly for young Americans. We'll be listening at next week's debate for the candidates to address climate change, and we won't be satisfied until we hear the candidates present real plans."

On Monday, dozens of young climate activists and youth vote leaders, led by Duresny, will march in Boca Raton, FL ahead of the final presidential debate, demanding that the candidates break the silence on climate change and lay out their politics for dealing with the climate crisis at home and abroad.